Article retaining band for flush tanks



May 4, 1965 D. NAGY ETAL 3,181,176

ARTICLE RETAINING BAND FOR FLUSH TANKS Filed MaIOh ls, 1964 David Nagy Michael Tarna wslri IN VE N TORS BY W United States Patent 3,181,176 ARTICLE RETG BAND FOR FLUSH TANKS David Nagy and Michael Tarnowski, both of 268 Robina Ave., Toronto, Ontario, Canada Filed Mar. 13, 1964, Ser. No. 351,605 4 Claims. (Cl. 4-1) The present invention relates to a small article confining and retaining guard for use on and in conjunction with the usual porcelain or equivalent lid or cover which is commonly used on a flush tank and in combination with a fiushable bowl or hopper and which functions to prevent miscellaneous articles from being displaced from the top surface of the cover and falling into an uncovered bowl.

For lack of space, particularly where the bathroom is relatively small, it is customary for users thereof to resort to the use of the flush tank cover or lid as a temporary storage spot or support surface for accessories and utilities such as comb and brush, whisk broom, scissors, containers of lotions and cosmetics and so on. As a matter of fact it is likewise common practice in this field of endeavor to assist flush tank cover users by providing various forms of shelves and retaining guards such as are quite popular and are in widespread use. Plastic and rubber and equivalent trays, appropriate fence-like racks and so on are exemplary of the state of the art to which the invention relates, for example, the guard-type retaining rack for toilets disclosed in the Firth US. Patent 1,988,- 228 of April 16, 1935. If so desired the reader may refer to the Firth patent as generally indicative of the board nature of the invention herein under advisement.

An object of the present invention is to structurally, functionally and in other ways improve upon prior art article trays, guards and racks for toilet tank covers and,

in doing so, to provide an appropriate adaptation which will appeal to the manufacturing economies of manufacturers to retailers of home appliances and users.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple, practical readily applicable and removable plastic, rubber or an equivalent band which is such in construction that is conformingly embraces the depending skirt-like rim on the cover or lid, is held snugly in place by an elastic strap or the like and well serves the purposes for which it is intended.

It is within the purview of the present invention to so construct the band that it may be aptly and satisfactorily made from moldable colorful snug-fitting plastic material; that is, a band of plastic which can be wrapped around the rim of the lid, which has its rear ends connected by an elastic applying and retaining strap.

In carrying out a preferred embodiment of the invention the plastic band is sufiiciently wide that the lower half-portion is applicable to and wraps around the coacting surface of the covers rim, there being an upper halfportion which extends above the top surface of the cover or lid and which coacts with the respective transverse ends and the lengthwise front portion in transforming the area into a simple and reliable article confining and retaining tray.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective showing a modern porcelain or equivalent flush tank and bowl combination and, what is more significant, illustrating the attachmenttype miscellaneous article holder constructed in accordance with the invention with the same in use;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged cross-section taken on the plane of the section line 22 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 3 is a view in perspective of the guard-forming band by itself;

FIGURE 4 is a view in perspective showing a slightly different adaptation, that is, wherein safety clips are provided with a view toward more reliably and securely holding the band in place;

FIGURE 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4; and

FIGURE 6 is a view in perspective of one of the safety clips.

Referring now to the views of the drawing the invention comprises, as suggested, a conformable readily applicable and removable moldable plastic or an equivalent band. This band is such in length and width that it cooperates with the three marginal edge portions of the toilet lid as shown. More specifically the flush tank in FIG. 1 is denoted at A and the applicable and removable cover or lid at B, said lid having a substantially flat but usually porcelain-finished top surface C. The depending skirt-like rim or flange is denoted at D. The only difference between FIGS. 1 and 4 is where the tank E has an ornamental front F. Insofar as the band is concerned it is the same except that it will vary perhaps in width, material and size depending on whether the toilet construction is small, medium or large.

To the end desired the band is denoted as an entity by the numeral 8 and is about three inches wide and three feet more or less in length. The top edge is provided with two outstanding parallel ornamental beads 10 and the bottom edge with a single similar outstanding ornamental head 12. On the interior the surface is provided with a projecting V-shaped rib 14 which divides this surface into a lower half-portion 16 and an upper half-portion 18. The lower half-portion is of a width to snugly fit around the exterior surface of the flange D in the manner illustrated best in FIG. 2. The rib resides atop the marginal edge portion of the top surface as denoted in FIG. 2 whereby the upper half-portion is above the surface C thus transforming the same into a shallow article-holding and retaining tray. The free end portions 20 as shown in FIG. 3 are connected together by a suitable elastic strap or web 22 which has its end portions overlapping and riveted or otherwise secured in place as at 24.

It is within the purview of the invention to utilize the simple adaptation illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 in particular. It may, however, be desirable to insure more reliable and retention requirements by employing two or more readily attachable and detachable resilient inverted U-shaped safety clips 26 (FIG. 6). Each clip comprises an inner short leg 28, a longer outer leg 30 and a bight portion 32. These clips are applied by hooking the same over the beaded lower edge of the band and lodging the short legs 28 in the available space as illustrated in FIG. 5.

It will be evident that the band is applied and consequently brought into use in the manner illustrated, the elastic strap is at the back and consequently extends across the rear edge portion of the flush tank lid or cover and is out of sight.

It is believed that a careful consideration of the specification in conjunction with the views of the drawing will enable the reader to obtain a clear and comprehensive understanding of the nature of the readily attachable and detachable band and how it is preferably constructed and used and how it well serves the purposes for which it is intended. Accordingly, a more extensive description is thought to be unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed,

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination, a toilet flush tank open at its top and provided with a readily applicable and removable lid, a band having a'portion thereof snugly encircling a depending marginal edge portion of said lid, means for detachably ap lying and retaining said band in position on the lid, said band having a portion cooperating with an upper surface of the lid and transforming the same into an article-confining and, retaining tray.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 and wherein said band is made of colorful moldable plasticmateriaLthe retaining means comprising an elastic strap.

3. The structure defined in claim 1 and wherein said band is made of colorful moldable plastic material, the retaining means comprising an elastic strap, said band having upper and lower half-portions separated by an interior rib, the lower half-portion'embracing the lid and the upper half-portion projecting above the surface of the lid.

4. A readily applicable and removable article retaining band for attachment to and retention on the depending flange of an attachable and detachable'flush tank cover comprising a band having spaced ends, an elastic strap connecting the ends together and located between said ends, said strap having an exterior surface which is ornamental and colorful, the interior surface of said band eing provided with a rib centrally located and dividing the band into upper and lower complemental portions.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,998,228 4/ 35 Firth 468 2,032,898 3/36 Wilson 4159 2,099,932 11/37 Isaacson 468 2,170,776 8/39 Goepel 468 2,797,816 7/57 Ross 468 2,807,312 1 9/57 Florian 108-27 EDWARD V. BENHAM, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A TOILET FLUSH TANK OPEN AT ITS TOP AND PROVIDED WITH A READILY APPLICABLE AND REMOVABLE LID, A BAND HAVING A PORTION THEREOF SNUGLY ENCIRCLING DEPENDING MARGINAL EDGE PORTION OF SAID LID, MEANS FOR DETACHABLY APPLYING AND RETAINING SAID BAND IN POSITION ON THE LID, SAID BAND HAVING A PORTION COOPERATING WITH AN UPPER SURFACE OF THE LID AND TRANSFORMING THE SAME INTO AN ARTICLE-CONFINING AND RETAINING TRAY. 